AAP and BJP workers shouted slogans in the middle of the Civic Centre.
New Delhi:
Huge chaos erupted in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) meeting today as newly elected councilors of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP clashed just before the election of a Mayor.
AAP and BJP workers shouted slogans in the middle of the Civic Centre. In visuals, members were seen pushing each other and some were seen falling to the ground.
The protests erupted when Satya Sharma, the temporary Speaker appointed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, started swearing in the nominated members or aldermen.
AAP members said elected councilors should have been sworn in before the nominated members.
The clash follows a series of confrontations between AAP and the Lieutenant Governor, who is the Centre’s representative in Delhi and reports to the Union Home Minister.
AAP accused the Lieutenant Governor of making several appointments without consulting the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi and trying to skew the Mayor polls in the BJP’s favour.
AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also accused the Lieutenant Governor of intentionally picking 10 nominated members aligned to the BJP.
After naming the nominated members, Mr Saxena also appointed Satya Sharma, a BJP councilor, as temporary Speaker to preside over the Mayor election. AAP had recommended Mukesh Goyal, the senior most councilor, for the post.
The BJP, which lost the civic polls after three terms in power, has claimed that they will win the Mayor’s post.
Arvind Kejriwal’s party has fielded Shelly Oberoi for Mayor. Challenging her is the BJP’s Rekha Gupta. AAP’s back-up candidate is Ashu Thakur. The nominees for the post of deputy mayor are AAP’s Aaley Muhammad Iqbal and Jalaj Kumar and Kamal Bagri from the BJP.
“It is the tradition that the senior most member of House is nominated as protem Speaker or presiding officer. But BJP is hell bent destroying all democratic traditions and Institutions,” tweeted AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj.
Source link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/delhi-mayor-polls-big-protest-by-aap-against-lt-governors-move-3668615